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The Ultimate Google+ Cheat Sheet

Social Media Marketers need to squeeze the most value out of every social media update.

Google Plus has some of the most robust posting & sharing capabilities of any social network. From rich snippets to photo editing to individual circles, there are so many features that can make your post stand out from the pack. Here are some highlights from a cheat sheet that I built (Download and print here) to get the most out of Google Plus posts.

Here are the highlights from each section of the Cheat Sheet:

Post Anatomy

This section is all about getting familiar with all of the components of a great Google Plus post. Each component is highlighted to allow you to understand what it is and why it is there.

Notifications

This section breaks down each notification type and when each should be used. There are four main circles that you will be sharing:

Public - This circle includes anyone on Google Plus. Always share your posts with the general public.

Your Circles - This circle will share the post with all of your circles. Use this function wisely, as one post rarely adds value to all of your circles.

Specific Circle - The example used is my 'Content Marketing' circle. Group your prospects or community members into circles and target them with relevant & valuable content. Specific circles should be your go-to notification for any post.

Specific Person - Notify individual users for 1:1 communication.

Email Your Circles - You may notify up to 100 of your followers by email. Use this functionality with discretion and only for high-value posts that apply to everyone in your circles (which is very rare).

Keyboard Shortcuts

This is simply a list of the top keyboard shortcuts to expedite your navigation and use of Google Plus. Use these shortcuts for scrolling, paging up and down or starting/ending a comment.

Post Style Options

Yet another unique quality of posting on Google Plus is the option to style the text in your post. You may add text styles like bolding, italics, or strike-through. Bold text is great for enhancing value points or can't miss information. Italics can make your quotes look nice & professional. Strike-throughs are commonly used for corrections.

Rich Snippets

This section breaks down the rich snippet and how to choose a unique snippet image among the available options. Choosing an image other than the default option will give your post a more unique flavor and stand out among the crowd.

Photos

A full-bleed photo (an image that fits perfectly into the message space) always adds a high-impact and professional look. The image must be no taller than 4:3 width to height ratio. Any image wider than 4:3 will also be full-bleed by default. The maximum image size is 497px x 373px (which is also 4:3) if you want a perfect-fit.

Photo editing features like tagging people within your circles, rotating the image and adding text is also highlighted on the cheat sheet.

Hashtags

Hashtags aren't just for Twitter anymore! Here are a few different ways to use hashtags to help add meaning and context to your posts.

The Google Plus Cheat Sheet prints perfectly to a standard 8 1/2 x 11 printer page. Download and print a copy to keep near your desk for a quick reference to always get the most out of every Google Plus post!